The Face of a Christian

Spirituality Column #179
April 13, 2010
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

The Face of a Christian
By Bob Walters

Do you know anyone at church, or elsewhere, who is just a real sourpuss?

I heard a good sermon on Easter about the ongoing joy Christians should experience. Easter teaches us that Jesus knows our human frailties, carries us in our troubles, forgives us of our sins, and that his resurrection – Easter’s main point – should transform our grief, guilt and fear into perpetual courage, hope and joy.

Christ did all that for love, for freedom, and for communion.

So … I thought about all the times I’m not joyful; when I’m impatient or scared or nervous: i.e., when I’m a sourpuss.

I also thought of a lovely funeral service I attended in Anderson a few weeks ago for a sweet Christian lady who died at age 97.

She had lived well, had failed physically in her last few years, but had her mental capacity to the end. What her preacher said at the funeral was glowing and gracious, but one particular comment stuck out.

Through her decades of marriage, raising children and generations (through great-great grandchildren), being an energetic and generous servant-saint in the church and community, and in those last, difficult months in a nursing home as her mortal body shut down, “she never complained,” he said.

We know someone has lived well and died well when we attend a funeral like that. We Christians are a funny bunch when it comes to death … we cry like everyone else, but know that the eternal point of our faith is meeting Jesus on the other side.

So not every death is heartbreaking, although some are. Neither is every life uplifting, although each one can be. Christ forgave each one of us, saved each one of us, and asks faith of each one of us. The ball of salvation is in our court.

As we think deeply about how faith and fear cannot be compatible, and about how our faith and love are acts of will, not accidents of fate, we should also contemplate our response to this amazing gift of forgiveness. We can’t repay it, nor should we try.

Whether one believes faith is preordained or not, one’s actions are definitely not. Accepting God’s love means managing – for His Glory – pure freedom.

So a Christian’s face should reflect grace and courage, not impatience or fear.

Don’t be a sourpuss. Choose, always, to let your face show God’s love.

Walters (www.believerbob.blogspot.com, email rlwcom@aol.com) thanks Derek Duncan at E91 for the sermon, and Doris Edgecomb (1913-2010) for the example.